Police blotter: Recent crime in Berkeley

This is a partial list of recent crimes in Berkeley based on information from the Berkeley Police Department and the UC Berkeley Police Department. For other sources of information on crime in Berkeley see Community CrimeView and Crimemapping.com.

Auto Burglary via lock Cheat – 3000 block of Hillegass Avenue – #2012-2967
Sometime between Monday, January 16, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. and Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 8:00 a.m., an unknown suspect or suspects broke into a community member’s car. The Berkeley woman told the BPD officer who responded to her call for service that she had parked her Honda Civic in her carport in the 3000 block of Hillegass Avenue the evening before. When she went to use the car at 8:00 a.m., she saw that the interior of the car was prowled and her iPod had been stolen. The victim was certain that all the doors or windows were locked. The suspects may have cheated the lock or used a shaved key to enter it.

Auto Burglary via window smash – The Uplands and Claremont Avenue – #2012-2998
On Tuesday, January 17, 2012 between 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., a Piedmont woman parked her Mercedes on The Uplands just east of Claremont Avenue. She placed her MacBook Pro under her fur coat in the backseat. When she returned to her car, she saw that the right rear passenger window had been smashed and the laptop was gone.

Armed Robbery of Gas Station – 3400 block of Ashby Avenue – #2012-3024
“At about 2:05 p.m. on Tuesday, January 17 , 2012 2011, City of Berkeley Police Department (BPD) officers responded to a call of a possible armed robbery in progress at the Chevron gas station located in the 3400 block of Ashby Avenue. When the first BPD officers arrived, the employee confirmed that an armed robbery had taken place and also said that the suspect had fled south (it was clarified from westbound) on Domingo Street. BPD officers created a wide perimeter of an area that they believed the suspect could be on foot nearby. In total, approximately 10-14 officers went to the area to search for the suspect who witnesses described as: “a Hispanic or Latino male, teenager, 5”5”, thin build, light complexion with freckles or dark spots on his forehead area wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, dark pants, dark gloves with a black mask on the lower portion of his face. He was armed with a handgun and made off with a small amount of cash.”

“The teams of officers went on foot, in cars and on bicycles to do the most thorough search they could for this suspect. They spoke to neighbors and members of community, some whom believed they saw the suspect head east on The Uplands. After approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes, the Supervisor who was in command called off the search. No community members, officers or the employees of the gas station were physically injured during the crime and subsequent search. The investigation is in the hands of the BPD Robbery Detail and is ongoing.”

Stay Away Order Violation – Foot Chase – Gun and Drug Arrest #2012-3074
On January 17, 2012 at about 6:21 p.m., BPD Drug Task Force officers attempted to stop a 25 year old Richmond man whom the officers know has a stay away order from San Pablo Park. When the suspect saw the officers start to get out of their DTF car in the 1300 block of Russell Street, the suspect ran westbound on Russell Street. The officers chased him on foot during which time the suspect discarded a loaded semi-automatic weapon. Officers were able to detain the suspect on the 1200 block of Burnett Street. During a search incident to his arrest, the DTF officers found 12 grams of marijuana, cash and a cell phone. Officers booked the suspect into the BPD jail for gun offenses, possession of marijuana for sale, resisting and obstructing officers and a felony probation violation.

Traffic Enforcement Stop Leads to DUI Arrest — San Pablo & 67th Street – #2012-3135
On Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at about 1:47 a.m., a BPD officer watched as a woman driver of a black Mustang fail to stop at a flashing red traffic light at the intersection of Alcatraz Avenue and Sacramento Street. The officer made a traffic enforcement stop at San Pablo Avenue & 67th Street. When the officer spoke with the 44 year old driver, the driver exhibited signs of impairment. Another team officer agreed to take over the primary role in the investigation. The second officer was briefed about the violation and when she spoke to the driver, she smelled an odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from her breath. The officer saw that the driver also had bloodshot and watery eyes, as well as thick, slurred speech. The driver admitted to drinking alcoholic beverages prior to driving. The suspect failed to successfully complete the Field Sobriety Tests (FSTs) and blew .215 on a Preliminary Alcohol Screening Device (PAS) Based on her objective symptoms of impairment, and the FSTs, the BPD officer arrested the suspect driver for violation of CVC 23152(a)– Driving Under the Influence and booked her into the BPD Jail.

Auto Burglary via Window Smash – 1000 block of Ashby Avenue – #2012-3265
On Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at about 6:30 p.m., a San Lorenzo man parked his Kia in a hardware store parking lot in the 1000 block of Ashby Avenue. When he returned to the car in ten minutes, he saw that the rear driver’s side passenger side door was shattered and his backpack was gone. The victim told the officer that the backpack contained some checkbooks and miscellaneous items.

Identity Theft – 1000 block of Creston Road -#2012-3182
A Berkeley woman in the 1000 block of Creston Road called BPD on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 2010 at about 11:24 a.m. to report an identity theft case. She told the BPD officer that she had been notified by BillMeLater.com that an account was fraudulently opened using her identifying information and purchases had been fraudulently made totaling over $600. The officer provided some crime prevention advice and suggested she check her credit through the agencies.

Residential Burglary via Unlocked/Window Ajar – 1600 block of Ward St – #2012-3334
A contractor called BPD on Thursday, January 19, 2012 to report a burglary. He told the responding BPD officer that on Wednesday evening, he left the single family home in the 1600 block of Ward Street at about 5:30 p.m. When he came to site on January 19, 2012 at 9:00 a.m., he discovered that an unknown suspect or suspects had climbed in the rear window that had been left ajar and stole two 48” X 48” skylights in the box and 3 pieces of rolling aluminum scaffold.

Traffic Enforcement Stop Leads to DUI Arrest – Martin Luther King Jr. Way & Hearst Avenue – #2012-3311
On Thursday, January 19, 2012 at about 2:35 a.m., a BPD officer was driving north on Martin Luther King Jr. Way when she noticed a Buick driving at a high rate of speed in front of her with a brake light out. The BPD officer made a traffic enforcement stop of the car on Martin Luther King Jr. Way just north of Hearst Avenue. When the officer contacted the driver, a 22 year old Berkeley man, the officer immediately smelled a strong odor that the officer recognized as an alcoholic beverage. The officer began a DUI investigation. The driver performed poorly on the Field Sobriety Tests (FSTs) The officer administered the Preliminary Alcohol Screening Device (PAS) which revealed the driver had a BAC .139 and .14. Based on Lee’s objective symptoms of impairment and the FSTs, the officer arrested the driver for DUI. The officer did a records check and learned that the driver’s license was suspended/revoked and he was on probation for DUI. The BPD officer booked him into the BPD jail for violations of 23152(a)CVC– Driving Under the Influence, CVC 23152(b)- Driving Under the Influence/over .08 and PC 1203.2 – Probation Violation.

Snapshots: Some of what BPD officers have been doing the last few days:

Between January 16, 2012 at approximately 12:46 a.m., Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 3:05 p.m., BPD officers have responded and managed 17 welfare checks of individuals throughout the City of Berkeley.

Between January 16, 2012 at approximately 10:45 a.m. and Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 12:20 p.m., BPD officers have responded and managed 23 calls for police services regarding petty thefts – thefts of items under $950.

Between January 16, 2012 at approximately 9:38 a.m. and Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 11:49 a.m.. BPD officers responded to and managed 28 requests for advice on a variety of issues.

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